Switch-operating mechanism.



Patented Oct. 9, 1900. F. A. RUFF.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

' (Application filed Nov. 22, 1898.)

(No' Medal.)

w Ra Aw W. Mf w w/ NORRIS 0,. WASHINGTON, v. c;

- tion, reference being FREDERICK A. RUFF, OFDETROI'I MICHIGAN.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EREDERIOK A. RUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specificahad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to electric railway switches of thatclass, in which the switchoperating circuit is closed through an insulated section of the trolley-conductor and the motor-circuit on the car.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the insulated section; further, in "the means employed for maintaining one of the branches of the switch normally closed, so that cars may pass thereon without any attention on the part of the motorma-n to the condition of the switch; further, in the peculiar construction of the controller for guarding the switch-operating magnets, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram plan of a railway-switch to which my device is applied. Fig. 2 is a of the alternately-reversing operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the controller. Fig. 4 is a secti'onal'elevat-ion of the insulated conductor-section. Fig. 5 is a crosssection thereof on line 00 41;. Fig. 6 is'an end elevation of said insulated section, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the end approaches. I

A is the main track,1eading to the switch.

B and C are the branch tracks beyond the switch. I I

D is the movable rail or switch-point, and E is the trolley Wire or conductor.

The switch-point D is operated by electromagnetical-ly-actuated mechanism H, which is so constructed that it 'will alternately throw said pointin opposite directions. This mechanism forms no part of my present invention and may be of any suitable-construction; but. in Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown it as comprising a walking-beam lever a, connected by the link I) to the switch-point, the pitinan' 0 having a traveling connection at its upper end with said beam and its lower-end resting on a lever d, which is connected to the movcient space between diagram perspective view pm of Letters Batent No. 659,454; dated October 9, 19b0, I Application filed November 22, 1898. Serialflo. 697,180. (No model.)

able cores of a solenoid f, all so arranged" thatwhen an electric current is passed through the solenoid it will cause the lever (l to raise the pitman c and tilt the walking-beam a, and when the solenoid is de'nergized the pitman will travel by gravity to the opposite end of the beam into a position to tilt it in'the' solenoid f is included in an electric opposite direction upon a subsequent actuation. The connection. F, which leads from the live trolley-wire or other source of electrical energy to an insulated section G of the trolley-wire, the latter being of the following construction.

g is a strip of insulating material, prefer: ably wood, which on its under side is provided with a longitudinal groove h, adapted toreceive the trolley-wire; On each side of this groove is secured a conductor-plate i, preferably secured by screws or bolts to the insulator-strip and adapted to contact with the flanges of the trolley-wheel when passing thereunder. These plates are provided with downwardly-extending 'guide-flangesj, pref erably inclining inwardly, but leaving suffithe two to permit of the passage ofthe trolley-wire. I At each end of the strip is detachably secured 'anapproach is, preferably formed of a metallic strip having a groove'on its upper side to receive the trolley-wire and thin flanges k on each side thereof adapted to be turned over the wire;

and form the securing means for the section. At its inner end each approach is provided with a plate I, adapted-to be bolted or otherwise detachably secured to the insulator-strip in line with but separated from the conductor-plates z.

V m is a central rib at the inner end matching with but separatedfrom the flange j on the plates'z'. and tapering therefrom to thetrolleywire-at its outer end.

n represents inclined side flanges which lead from the plate I outward and upward and form the runways for directing the flanges of the trolley onto the conductor-plates i. .Thesection Gthus constructed may be readily placed at any point to the trolley-wire byfirst placing the insulator-strip y over the wire which .en-

tore the slot between the flangesj and engage with the groove h in the strip. The ap-'5 proaches k are thensecured to the endsiof.

the stripwith the trolley-wirelyinginthe section in position. To hold the section G from turning 7 wires are secured to each side thereof, and

these wires I utilize for forming the 0011-.

' ductor F.

:of carbon. or retarding spring to for the switch-lever,

In the construction of electric'switch-bper ating devices of the class to which mine belongs difliculty'has been experienced in pro- \tiding operating-electromagnets that will work equally well under all conditions. "This is because the current passing through the conductor F variesgreatly perage from time to time, due to the varyin demands-pf the carnnotor which is include in the same circuit; Thus if the" car when traveling insulated section-G a certain rent will pass through the circuitF; but if: the

car should. stop on or just before reaching the" section G; and should then pass over it while getti n gunder liead way-thequantity'ofcnrrent' would be greatly passing'thro'ugh the circuit increased: A. switch-operating magnet co'm structed to-tworlcunder these; varying conditions of current with a largecurrent would exert snchia power as to endanger the rest of the mechanism; S0 to avoid the di'fiiculty I place in circuit with a switch-operating magnet constructed to operate with the minimum current a second or controller magnet capable the maxim um current and adapted to out out said switch-operating magnet when the current becoin es excessive. erably comprises a solenoid Q, the movable core 19 of which is "connected to the switch-" lever q, carrying the contact 7' and adapted when operated to move'said contact against the con tact s and close the shunt taround the switch-magnet. Inasmuch'as the controller must operate under the varying conditions of current above men tioned,the force'with which the contacts 1' and s are thrown togetheralsor varies, and the difiiculty here arises that with a heavy on rrent there is danger of breaking the contacts, which are preferably formed To overcome this I em ploy a check which prevents the sharp blowof one contact against the other, and this'spring I preferably interpose between the movable core p and the leverg, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of electric switches of this description is well known, and-I shall therefore only briefly describe the operation of mine'as follows: When the switch'is to be thrown, no attention is required'from its'rnotorman-,=' as when: the trolley passes the sec tion Git will establish acircuitthrough the conductor E, which 'will operate the mechanism'H and move the switch-point'D. If, however, th'e's'witchis'in the propel-position, it is necessary for the motorman to shut oil the current before the trolley reaches the section around the trolley-wire, stay-.

:s'uch conditions I of the switch is required by iuqnant ity or any ata uniform'speed passesover the quant'ty of cut"- would be an" expensive and cumbersome thing, and,.moreover-,'when usedof sa-fely'carrying This cont-roller pref G and while passing thereby, not necessary to stopthe car. It frequently happens that railway-switches are placed at points'where, the] si0n'al'.one passes on the other branch. For

-ment' by which no attention as to the position the cars passing over either line. T0 efiect this result I place beyond the switch on one tor-section. G", similar electrically connected therewith.

In Fig. 1 'I-have shown the section Gin full .of the brunett s-second insulated conducto the section G and lines as placed on the branch B and in dotted -lines as on the branch (hits position depending upon which of said branchesis the more traveled one; Supposing-the majority of the cars pass over the section B,the switch-point D is normally in a position to direct the cars on the branch C; but-aseachof the-main-v line cars-passes over the section .G- it'w'ill throw the Lpoi ht1into'a-pbsiiti0n-to direct the car-on the branch {B a'nd upon' passing the section-G! .will rrest'ore the point again? to its normal position. Thus the" motormen on the cars passing overthe main-branch 'payn'oattention to'the switch; while thoseion the lessalthough it is majority of. cars passing travel over one branch, while only an occahave devised an arrange! the motoi'man of traveled branch'unitormly shut ofithe mo tor in passing section G, and'are thnsdirected onto the branch 0 without the necessity of observing the position of the point. 1

It is obvious that the opposite arrangement might beemployed 'in'w'hich the main-line motormen would uniformly shut ofl? their motors in passing the sectionlG, while those on the/branch line would run over-the section with'the currentonj j WhatI claim as my invention is v,

1. Aninsulated trolley conductor section,

comprising an insuiator-strip grooved in its under ,side to receive the trolley-wire, conductor-sections secured to said strip on opposite sides ot said groove adapted to contact with the flanges of the-trolley and inclined approaches detachably secured to the opposite ends of said strip in linebntiout of contact with said "conductor-sections, and form-1 ing themeans for securing said insulated section to the trolley-wire. V V

, 2. An insulated trolley-conductor section, comprising an insulator-strip grooved on its under side to. receive the trolley-wire conductor-sections secured thereto on opposite sides of said groove, and-inclined approaches groovedon top to receive the trolley-wire and detachably secured to opposite ends of said insulator-strip'in line but out of contact with saidconductor-sections. 3;";An' insulated 'TJN'IllGy-GOIIdUOEOI section, comprising an insulator-strip grooved on its underside to-receive the trol-ley-wire-,'conductor-sections secure'd'to said strip on opposite sides of said slotyeachhavin'gadownwardly-projecting guide-flange on its inner side, and inclined approaches adapted to be secured to the trolley-wire, detachably secured to opposite ends of the said insulated section in line, but out of contact with said conductor-sections and having central ribs in line with said guide-flanges, and tapering down at their ends to the wire. I

4. in an electric-railway switch, the switch-. operating magnet and a controller-magnet in series connection therewith, adapted to close a shuntaround said-switch-operating magnot when the current exceeds a predetermined strength, in combination with an insn-lated section of the trolley-conductor to which one terminal of said series connection is attached, and the car-motor and its con trolling rheostat and switch.

'5. In an electric-railway switch, the. combination with the switch-operating magnet of a controller-magnet in series connection therewith adapted to close a shunt around said switch-operating magnet when the current exceeds a predetermined strength, said controller comprising'a solenoid and movable core, a switch-lever connected to said core and a check or retarding spring for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

' FREDERICK A; RUFF.

Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, HARRY SMITH. 

